11 Facts About Military Discrimination

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In 2011, the US lifted the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which restricted gay, lesbian, and bisexuals from openly serving in the military. For the first time in American history, people of every sexual orientation could serve openly and proudly.

Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” between 1993 and 2011, over 14,000 military men and women were discharged due to their sexual preference. Each discharge cost the US roughly $50,000.

There have been 150,000 people who are transgender who have served in the US armed forces.

People who are transgender are not issued the same freedom gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers are because of discriminatory medical regulations that label them as mentally unstable.

In 2010, roughly 19,000 sexual assaults occurred in the military, and a little less than 14% of these were reported by survivors.